Electric motor with integrated heat shield

ABSTRACT

An electric motor structure includes an electric motor having a housing and an endcap coupled to an end of the housing. The endcap includes a bearing pocket constructed and arranged to cover a bearing structure. The motor structure also includes a heat shield coupled directly to the motor so as to surround and cover the bearing pocket, with a portion of the heat shield being spaced from the bearing pocket.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to electric motors for use in engine cooling fanstructures and, more particularly, to an electric motor having a heatshield coupled thereto to reflect radiant heat away from a bearingstructure of the motor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electric motors are commonly used in engine cooling fan structures todrive a fan that pumps cooling airflow through a radiator to cool theengine. During operation of the engine, engine compartment temperaturesmay reach levels that can damage the bearings of the electric motor.

Heat shields have been employed on a shroud structure of engine coolingfan structure to deflect heat from a motor used to drive a cooling fan.However, since the heat shield is coupled directly to the shroud, it isdifficult to mount the shield to shrouds of different configurations soas to shield particular motors. Thus, a heat shield may need to beconfigured specifically for a particular should/motor assembly.

Accordingly, there is a need to provide a heat shield integrated with anelectric motor to deflect radiant heat from bearing structure of themotor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to fulfill the need referred to above. Inaccordance with the principles of the present invention, this objectiveis achieved by providing an electric motor structure including anelectric motor having a housing and an endcap coupled to an end of thehousing. The endcap includes a bearing pocket constructed and arrangedto cover a bearing structure. The motor structure also includes a heatshield coupled directly to the motor so as to surround and cover thebearing pocket, with a portion of the heat shield being spaced from thebearing pocket.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of providing a heatshield on an electric motor. The motor has a housing and an endcapcoupled to an end of the housing. The endcap includes a bearing pocketconstructed and arranged to cover a bearing structure. The methodincludes coupling a heat shield directly to the motor so as to surroundand cover the bearing pocket, with a portion of the heat shield beingspaced from the bearing pocket.

Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, aswell as the methods of operation and the functions of the relatedelements of the structure, the combination of parts and economics ofmanufacture will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description and appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer tolike parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric motor structure including a heatshield, shown in section, coupled to an electric motor.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a top of the electric motor structure ofthe invention shown prior to a staking process.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a tab shown after a stakingprocess to lock a heat shield and endcap to a motor housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of an electric motorstructure 10 is shown in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention. The electric motor structure 10 includes a conventionalelectric motor 12, having a shaft 14 supported for rotation by a bearingstructure 13 to drive a fan 15 for engine cooling. At one end of themotor 12, the bearing structure 13 is housed in a bearing pocket 18 ofan endcap 20 of the motor 12 so that the bearing pocket 18 covers adistal end 17 of the bearing structure 13. The endcap 20 closes an openend of a motor housing 22. The bearing pocket 18 of the endcap 20contains lubricant for lubricating the bearing structure. The endcap 20closes an open end of a motor housing 22. The bearing pocket 18 of theendcap 20 contains lubricant for lubricating the bearing structure.

The electric motor structure 10 includes a heat shield, generallyindicated at 24, coupled directly thereto. The heat shield 24 isgenerally bowl-shaped and is preferably made from aluminum, stainlesssteel or other metal that has a shiny outer surface 26 to reflect heat.As best shown in FIG. 2, the heat shield 24 includes mounting slots 28therein spaced along a planar peripheral portion 29 of the heat shield24. The mounting slots 28 are used to couple the heat shield 24 to themotor 12 as explained below.

The motor housing 22 includes a plurality of tabs 30 extending therefromand the endcap 20 includes a plurality of slots 32. Each slot 32receives an associated tab 30 so that the endcap 20 covers the open endof the housing 22. In the illustrated embodiment as shown in FIG. 2, themounting slots 28 of the heat shield 24 are placed over the tabs 30,after the endcap 20 is assembled, such that the heat shield 24 surroundsand covers the bearing pocket 18 of the endcap 20. The tabs 30 are thenstaked to secure the heat shield 24 and the endcap 20 to the motorhousing 22. The staking process is conventional, wherein a knife edge isused to contact at least a portion of each of the tabs 30 to cut andspread the tabs 30 to extend beyond the slots 28 and 32 thus securingthe heat shield 24 and endcap 20 to the motor housing 22. An example ofa staking process is shown in FIG. 3. In particular, FIG. 3 shows theheat shield 24 and endcap disposed over a tab 30 of the housing 22. Itcan be seen that a cut portion 33 of the tab 30 extends beyond the widthof the slot 28 and slot 32 (not shown) to secure the heat shield 24 andendcap 20 to the housing 22.

Thus, the heat shield 24 surrounds and covers the bearing pocket 18,with the bowl-shaped portion 27 of the heat shield being spaced from thebearing pocket 18 (FIG. 1).

It can be appreciated that instead of using a staking process, the heatshield 24 can be coupled to the endcap 20 via fasteners.

The heat shield 24 thus reduces heat from localized engine heat sourcesfrom directly radiating to the bearing pocket 18 of the electric motor12. The heat shield 24 is constructed and arranged to lower thetemperature of the bearing pocket 18 preferably by 5 to 10 degrees F.Mounting of the heat shield is simplified since the heat shield iscoupled directly to the motor instead of a shroud structure.

The foregoing preferred embodiments have been shown and described forthe purposes of illustrating the structural and functional principles ofthe present invention, as well as illustrating the methods of employingthe preferred embodiments and are subject to change without departingfrom such principles. Therefore, this invention includes allmodifications encompassed within the spirit of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electric motor structure comprising: anelectric motor having a housing and an endcap coupled to an end of thehousing, the endcap including a bearing pocket constructed and arrangedto cover a distal end of a bearing structure, and a heat shield coupleddirectly to the motor so as to surround and cover the bearing pocket,the heat shield being spaced from the bearing pocket and being directlyadjacent to a portion of the bearing pocket covering the distal end ofthe bearing structure, wherein the housing includes a plurality of tabsand the endcap includes slots with each slot receiving an associatedtab.
 2. The electric motor structure of claim 1, wherein the heat shieldincludes mounting slots therein, the tabs of the housing being receivedin the mounting slots and at least a portion of the tabs are stakedthereby securing the heat shield and the endcap to the housing.
 3. Theelectric motor structure of claim 2, wherein the heat shield includes agenerally bowl-shaped portion and a planar peripheral portion, themounting slots being spaced along the planar peripheral portion of theheat shield.
 4. The electric motor structure of claim 1, wherein anouter surface of the heat shield is constructed and arranged to reflectradiating heat.
 5. The electric motor structure of claim 4, wherein theheat shield is composed of aluminum.
 6. The electric motor structure ofclaim 4, wherein the heat shield is composed of metal.
 7. An electricmotor structure comprising: an electric motor having a housing and anendcap coupled to an end of the housing, the endcap including a bearingpocket constructed and arranged to cover a distal end of a bearingstructure, and a heat shield having a planar peripheral portion and abowl-shaped portion extending from the planar peripheral portion, atleast a portion of the planar peripheral portion being coupled directlyto the motor so that the heat shield surrounds and covers the bearingpocket, with the bowl-shaped portion being spaced from the bearingpocket and being directly adjacent to a portion of the bearing pocketcovering the distal end of the bearing structure, wherein the housingincludes a plurality of tabs and the endcap includes slots with eachslot receiving an associated tab.
 8. The electric motor structure ofclaim 7, wherein the planar peripheral portion of the heat shieldincludes mounting slots therein, the tabs of the housing being receivedin the mounting slots and at least a portion of the tabs are stakedthereby securing the heat shield and the endcap to the housing.